Accessory Toys (lead), Fisher Price Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band toys (lead), Fisher-Price Recalls Geo Trax Locomotive Toys (lead), NettoCollection “Moderne” and “Loft” Cribs (entrapment, strangulation), d-Scan Jubee Bunk Beds (collapse). Mattel’s CEO appeared in a new apology video, featuring shots of people in lab coats going through the motions of testing toys (we like how the guy in the beginning nods his head as he writes down a figure, nice lil piece of overacting there).

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Yup – MUCH cheaper to hire an actor for a day than to hire people to test the toys. They are keeping their promise to recall toys when someone else finds something wrong with them, and they hope, before too many kids are poisoned, maimed, mangled, killed or otherwise hurt. But if not, OH WELL! Cheaper to get this stuff from China!

Look people–you need to make a choice…safe things for you or food on the table of the poor CEO who’s on the verge of filing for bankruptcy and at risk of being forced to live in a cardboard box on the street. Can’t have both.

@catnapped: You mean a CEO that’s at risk of having to live on his golden parachute. Hell, he’d have to cut back to only 5 cars for himself, and just 3 for his wife! They might have to move into a tiny little 8 bedroom home! Please, think of the CEO! Lead poisoning isn’t going to do TOO much damage to your kids! It’s been proven that the negative effects pretty much end after death…

Nuh-uh. Because just yesterday we read that Mattel thinks that the CPSC rules and recall laws are way too nebulous and burdensome, and so Mattel doesn’t have to follow them. Why would they apologize? For what? A little lead never hurt anyone. Gives kids backbone and intestinal fortitude and stuff. Stuff like brain damage, sure. But what’s a little brain damage amongst friends?
And those consumer laws? They’re more of a suggestion, really. You know, if they have time and don’t have other things to do. Maybe, if Mattel isn’t too busy doing other stuff, they might test toys for dangerous substances. Or not. But no hurries. No worries.
Seriously: when will companies learn that consumers have more options now, not less. And that once the reputation is gone, it can be nearly impossible to get back.
Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Eckert, I salute you. You have taken at least two great brands, Mattel and Fisher Price, and run them into the cold, cold ground. Congrats!

@Peeved Guy: Great observation. Nearly a month later, it’s still like that. Right on the home page, “recall” (a “negative” word in this context) is in a smaller font, sandwiched between the words “voluntary” and “information” (two “positive” words). I’m sure this was intentional on their part.